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Bars

Sydney’s Best Bloody Marys

Whether it’s “hair of the dog”, a Sunday brunch favourite or a tipple to kick start a long evening, the Bloody Mary cocktail has its place in good bars and eateries.

During several bar hops, we put eight of Sydney’s Bloody Marys to the taste test.

Consommé Mary @ The Wild Rover

The Wild Rover serves three variations on the Bloody Mary. The Consommé Mary may look misleading as a clear cocktail but the flavours are all there. Made with vodka and a tomato consommé, the the tomatoes along with other ingredients are put in a muslin cloth to create the clear liquid. As an entry-level Bloody Mary, it has the flavour of tomato, garlic and horseradish but comes with a gentle kick. It is delicious nonetheless. Suitable for drinking any time of the day or for those with a mild hangover.

Kick factor: 3/5

Bloody Mary
L-R: Red Snapper, Consommé Mary at The Wild Rover

Red Snapper @ The Wild Rover

Made with gin, fresh pressed spiced tomato juice, the Red Snapper at the Wild Rover delivers a solid and spicy kick to the head, stimulates the senses, the appetite and everything else. Highly recommended for a wake me up.

Kick Factor: 4.5/5

Kilpatrick Bloody Mary @ The Wild Rover

Bloody Mary
Kilpatrick Bloody Mary – The Wild Rover

Take bacon-washed vodka and house-made Kilpatrick and you get the Kilpatrick Bloody Mary at the Wild Rover. A classic style cocktail, it’s a hearty drink, spicy, heavy on flavour but has less kick than the Red Snapper. Good with freshly-shucked oysters and the Rover’s moreish sausage rolls. Naturally.

Kick Factor: 4/5

Bloody Mary @ Mary’s Newtown

Bloody Mary
Bloody Mary – Mary’s Newtown

Say Hail Mary to Mary’s version of the Bloody Mary. The vodka-based drink is served with a slice of good ol’ Kraft cheese, melted on top of the glass, with a blow torch no less, topped with crispy bacon and a small pickle onion. Alas, this one is all show. As impressive as she looks, the cocktail is weak, lacking in flavour and kick to the head.

Kick Factor: 2/5

Bloody Maria @ Bottleneck Bar & Eatery

Bottleneck Bar & Eatery
Bloody Maria – Bottleneck Bar and Eatery

Bottleneck Bar and Eatery in Darlinghurst serves a few variations of the Blood Mary. Their Bloody Maria is made with tequila, house-made tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, tabasco, lemon juice and a mezcal float. Hot, spicy, smoky and utterly seductive, she slaps you in the head, just the way you like it.

Kick Factor: 4.5/5

Panama Mary @ Panama House

Panama House, Bondi
Panama Mary – Panama House

Panama House in Bondi is a popular spot for weekend brunch and the Panama Mary is made with rum, ruby port, tomato juice, cucumber, gumbo, lime, jalapeno relish and tecate. Hot and spicy, she’s sure to deliver a strong kick to the head and leave wanting more.

Kick factor: 4.5/5

Bloody Mary de España @ Foley Lane

Bloody Mary
Bloody Mary de España @ Foley Lane

Hailing from Foley Lane’s Boozy Brunch menu, the Bloody Mary de España at is one heck of a drink. Made with vodka and the usual condiments with sherry vinegar and chipotle, this Mary is set to wake you up after a couple of sips.

Kick Factor: 5/5

3TO7

3TO7, Waterloo

Order a Bloody Mary at 3TO7 in Waterloo, and it will be served in a capsicum. Made using Wyborowa Polish Vodka, this one knows how to pack a good punch beneath her fiery exterior. Spicy and peppery, with a strong kick, this Bloody Mary get more peppery as you sip it through the straw. And you’re most welcome to eat it.

Kick Factor: 4/5

Bloody Indiana Jones @ Ardbog Day

Bloody Mary
Bloody Indiana Jones

The Bloody Indiana Jones was served during the Ardbog Day festivities and puts a smoky twist on the classic with the addition of Ardbeg 10 yo single malt whisky. Made with 40ml Ardbeg 10, 90ml tomato juice, a squeeze of lemon, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, 5 drops of Tabasco and a knob of wasabi, it delivers a delicious strong and smoky hit but can do with a little more kick to balance the peat.

Kick Factor: 3.5/5

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Other Guides in this series: Sydney’s Best Romantic Restaurants, Sydney’s Best Brunch Spots, Sydney’s Best Bloody Marys, Sydney’s Best Rum Bars, Sydney’s Best Whisky Bars, Sydney’s Best Wine Bars, Top Ten Sydney Small Bars, Another Top Ten Sydney Bars (2013), Sydney’s Best Tequila Bars

About the author

Corinne Mossati

Corinne Mossati is a drinks writer, author of GROW YOUR OWN COCKTAIL GARDEN, SHRUBS & BOTANICAL SODAS and founder/editor of Gourmantic, Cocktails & Bars and The Gourmantic Garden. She has been writing extensively about spirits, cocktails, bars and cocktail gardening in more recent years. She is a spirits and cocktail competition judge, Icons of Whisky Australia nominee, contributor to Diageo Bar Academy, cocktail developer and is named in Australian Bartender Magazine's Top 100 Most Influential List. Her cocktail garden was featured on ABC TV’s Gardening Australia and has won several awards. She is a contributor to Real World Gardener radio program and is featured in several publications including Pip Magazine, Organic Gardener, Australian Bartender and Breathe (UK). Read the full bio here.

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